Linus has said that he hates having to release videos with the "shock face" thumbnails, but he has to do it because it measurably drives traffic. Simply having a human doing this specific facial expression increases the number of clicks he gets by up to 20%. This look is idiotic, he doesn't like doing it, but he does it for business reasons.
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Apparently, making thumbnails that look like this taps into basic human psychology that grabs attention and compels people to click. (The same psychology that's at work with the requisite red arrows.)
Linus has also gotten some heat from older tech enthusiasts for his change in style. However, just because Linus and the rest of us are getting older, doesn't mean that his audience is. Instead of traditional videos which features specifications, detailed benchmarks, and guides, he puts out entertainment videos with little substance. Obviously, what I'm about to say doesn't apply to all younger people, but in general, younger generations expect more entertainment than educational content from their technology sources. It's the reason that classic tech enthusiast sites like HardOCP, Tech Report, Anandtech, and the old version of Ars Technica no longer exist or are on their last legs. In-depth analysis doesn't drive revenue; snark, goofy antics, and dumb video thumbnails do. It's the reason that Linus is constantly "dropping" expensive hardware in his videos, and it's not because he is clumsy.
I get why Linus does it, he operates the most successful tech channel on Youtube, but he offers very little of educational value. He himself understands that, but it's what his younger audience demands, and thus he fulfills that need, as a business owner. Just because he and other tech content providers feel that this shallow form of entertainment is necessary to continue to operate as a growing business doesn't mean that I have to like it. Which is why I no longer watch Linus Tech Tips. Simply put, I am no longer in the target demographic.